Political leaders and international investors gather in Lviv Oblast for ninth annual Economic Forum

The ninth annual Lviv International Economic Foreign gathered a wide range of corporate, government and international investment sector representatives to the Lviv Oblast spa resort town of Truskavets in the Carpathian foothills 1-2 October. The event has long since been the biggest regional gathering of its kind in West Ukraine, and this prominence was reflected in the keynote speeches delivered by President Viktor Yushchenko and PM Yulia Tymoshenko. Other aspects of the two day forum, which was held in the sumptuous surroundings of Truskavets’ 5-star Rixos Hotel, included a look at how the region can best recover from the global recession and capitalise on the potential presented by the region’s preparations for Euro 2012. Ukraine’s close proximity to the Polish border and historical ties to the Polish state were evidence in the strong contingent of Polish business and diplomatic representatives in attendance, while many CEOs from the Kyiv representative offices of international companies also participated, illustrating a growing trend of setting up Lviv representations in order to take advantage of the city’s excellent links with the nearby EU. Guests and forum participants at the Rixos Hotel enjoyed a spectacular fire show as the highlight of the forum’s social programme which was held on the venue’s summer terrace.